System for determining chlorine demand in water

Abstract

The system for determining chlorine demand in water includes a reagent supply tank configured for holding a solution of sodium hypochlorite of known concentration, a buffer tank positioned in fluid communication with the reagent supply tank, the buffer tank including a first conduit configured for transferring the solution from the reagent supply tank into the buffer tank, and a mixing tank positioned in fluid communication with the buffer tank, the mixing tank including a second conduit configured for transferring the solution from the buffer tank into the mixing tank to form a composite solution. The system further includes a first chlorine measuring device for measuring the free chlorine residual in a water source connected to the mixing tank, a second chlorine measuring device configured for measuring the free chlorine residual in the composite solution, and a pump operatively coupled to the water source.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0001]The present invention relates to water quality testing, and particularly to a system for determining chlorine demand in water.2. Description of the Related Art[0002]The quality of water is typically characterized by pH, odor, turbidity (below 1.5 NTU), concentration of fluoride (0.80% mg / L), concentration of phosphoric acid (2.0 mg / L), conductivity, as well as temperature. Water is typically disinfected by the used of ultraviolet light and chlorine (the free chlorine residue as set forth by EPA regulation is approximately 0.20 mg / L in taps of a city distribution system).[0003]Chlorine is and has been used for many years to eliminate a large variety of microbial waterborne pathogens, including those that can cause typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera and Legionnaires' disease. Chlorination improves and preserves drinking water throughout many of the developed nations around the world. However, chlorine is not only expensive to ma...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a system for measuring the amount of chlorine demand in water. The system includes a tank for holding a solution, a buffer tank for mixing the solution with water, a mixing tank for creating a composite solution, and two chlorine measuring devices. One device measures the amount of chlorine residue in the water source, while the other measures the amount in the composite solution. By comparing the two measurements, the system can determine the amount of chlorine to mix into the water to increase its quality. The system also includes a pump for moving the water through the system. The technical effects of the patent text are that it provides a way to accurately measure the amount of chlorine demand in water and a simple system for mixing the solution with buffer tank and pump to achieve the desired chlorine concentration.

Problems solved by technology

However, chlorine is not only expensive to manufacture, it can also be deadly to human beings if the amount of chlorine deposited in drinking water is not properly measured.

While a certain amount of chlorine in drinking water can destroy bacteria and be safe for people to drink, too much chlorine in drinking water can lead to peculiar taste and odors in the drinking water, unhealthy by-products, and, ultimately, death, such as by cancer.

The accuracy, however, of determining chlorine demand is a common problem in chlorine demand meters that are currently on the market, since the flow rates of treated water and disinfectant chemicals are unstable.

Meters are typically inaccessible once they are installed, and cannot be calibrated correctly or as often as may be required to maintain a certain level of quality.

Further, the industrial hypochlorite used for disinfection tends to lose strength and efficiency as time progresses.

Not knowing the correct strength of the hypochlorite solution can cause people to overestimate the amount of chlorine needed (i.e., the chlorine demand) to disinfect the water.

Also, chlorine meters currently utilized for municipal water supplies can also be very difficult to operate and very expensive to repair.

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